Why is it that sitcoms always go for the cheapest gags? And why is it that those gags are always shibboleths of leftist ideas? Does Hollywood imagine that the left never does anything that can be made fun of? Apparently Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter of the new sitcom "Andy Barker, P.I." don't think so, anyway.

In the pilot episode for the new sitcom from NBC starring former Conan O'Brien sidekick Andy Richter, within the first few segments we get one joke that makes Christians out to be mean-spirited and another that presents Americans in general as being reactionary racists post 9/11. In fact, these two jokes are back to back.

In the pilot episode, the main character rents a storefront in a small strip mall styled complex to open his CPA business. He meets the video store Owner downstairs who takes him on a tour to give him the lay of the land of the other shops in the complex.

The Gags

• Gag One

The first gag is a slap at Christians.

As the two characters are passing the Christian Book store in the complex, the video store Owner gravely warns Richter's character "Don't park in front of the Christian book store."

In other words, the gag is that the mean Christians will have you towed (or will otherwise complain). After all, we all know how mean those darn Christians are, right? Why they are so mean that they will instantly have you towed or will come to complain and to make your life miserable somehow if you dare to park in front of their store. What horrible neighbors Christians must be!

• Gag Two

The next joke implies that all Americans are reactionary racists who would attack an Afghani immigrant's business because of 9/11.

As the two lead characters eat lunch in the sandwich shop of an Afghani immigrant who supposedly came here in "the wheel well" of a jumbo jet, the joke is that he "went overboard after 9/11" on the patriotic decorations of his shop.

Obviously, the "joke" is that if this Afghani immigrant didn't go crazy with the patriotic decorations he would be somehow targeted or harmed by Americans in the neighborhood because of his Afghani background.

See, that joke works so well because of the many thousands of Middle Easterners who have been attacked by native Americans since the Muslim attacks of 9/11... oh, wait. There has been almost no perceptible rise in attacks by Americans on Muslim immigrants since 9/11 in this country at all. Sorry, I forgot.

You can see several of the first episodes on the NBC main site on the Web.

http://www.nbc.com/Video/rewind/full_episodes/andybarker.shtml?show=andybarker01

Now, I have watched them all and I have to say, the show really is pretty clever. I hope the show succeeds to tell the truth. Richter has one of the best deadpans since Bob Hope, and he is quite lovable (His previous show was really good, too: "Andy Richter Controls the Universe") But, here's hoping that there are a few leftist Oxen that O'Brien and Richter can find to gore. After all... the left is funny too.

Has anyone ever really listened to Cindy Sheehan? If THAT ain't funny in a sick sort of way, nothing is.

Unfortunately, though, it is only Conservative America that seems ripe for satire in leftist Hollyweird. Sad that for all the acclaimed intelligence of entertainers, writers, comedians and other denizens of the Gomorra of the west, a little introspection seems so far out of the question for their "art".

But I am sure that O'Brien and Richter can lend their considerable comedic talents to skewer a few leftists on some future shows.

Look at me; forever the optimist.